Drumhead-tightening means



J. INNES.

DRUMHEAD TIGHTENING MEANS APPLICATION FILED MAIL 30, I921.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

Elma/14M James hmed UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE.

JAMES INNES, or POWELL RIVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

DRUMHEKD-TIGHTEN IN G- MEANS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known: that 1, JAMES INNES, citl- Zen of the Dominion of Canada,residingat Powell River, in the Province of British Columbia, Canada,have invented certain new and-useful Improvements in Drumhead-Tightening Means, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a tension regulator for single tension drums.In such drums tension is simultaneously applied to the tightening hoopsof both heads, either by cords or by several tension rods having awinged head, which rod passes through a member engaging the tighteninghoop of one head and threaded into another member engaging thetightening hoop of the other head.

The snare head ofa drum is usually of thinner material than the batterhead, as it is required to vibrate freely under the impulses of the airtransmitted from blows delivered on the batter head. Being thinner thesnare head does not require to be tightened to the same extent as thebatter head. When tensioned equally as under existing practice, thesnare head being thinner is over-tensioned before the'batter head issufliciently tight.

This objection is overcome in the invention, which is the subject ofthis application by providing the hoop of the snare head with a tensionregulator, which'is supplementary to the single tension device withwhich the drum is provided, and is designedto relieve the snare head ofany pressure beyond what it is desired that head should receive, andwithout interfering with the application of tightening pressure to thebatter head.

The invention is fully described in the following specification,reference being made to the drawings by which it is accompanied, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a single tension drum having my regulatorapplied to the lower or snare head.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of the regulator in front view, and

Fig. 8, a side elevation of the same together with the adjacent parts ofthe drum.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modi- Spec ifi'cation of LettersPatent. Patented Apr. 11, 1922 Application, filed March 30, 1921. SerialNo. 456,805.

fied arrangement of the regulator, hereinafter referred to; v

In these drawings 2 represents the-cylinder of the drum, 3 being thetightening hoop and 4 the flesh ring of the batter head; 5 is thetightening hoop of the snare head and 6 the flesh ring of that head.These hoops 3 and 5 are drawn together to simultaneously tighten bothheads by what is known as a single tension device shown at 7.

The tension regulator, which is the particular subject of thisapplication, is designed to relieve the snare head 5 of any pressurebeyond that which it should have, without interfering with theimposition of further tightening pressure on the hoop 3 of the batterhead.

The device comprises a member 8 having provision for attachment to thecylinder 2 of the drum between each pair of the tightening devices 7 andadjacent the snare head hoop 5. This member 8 is threaded to receive ascrew 9 having a milled head 10 of relatively small diameter to clearthe cylinder of the drum, and having a swivel bearing piece 11 adaptedto fit against the flesh ring 6 of the snare head.

These regulators as described are, when the snare head is tightened tothe desired extent by the screws 7, adjusted to support the snare headhoop 5 against further tightening movement, as further movement ofthathoop is stopped by the ends of the tightening screws 9 applied tothe flesh ring 6.

While the snare head hoop 5 is stopped against further tighteningmovement, the tightening movement may be continued to any desired extenton the batter head hoop 3.

Obviously, if the snare head requires to be further tightened theregulating screws 9 may be uniformly slackened back and the tensionscrews 7 tightened to draw the snare head hoop up against the stop ofthe regulating screws 9.

The device is applicable to any drum having any single tighteningdevice. It provides a simple and readily attached means enabling theheads to be independently tightened to any desired playing tension withthe consequent advantages in improvement of tone, etc.

Instead of providing the regulating screw 9 with a swiveled bearing head11, as is best shown in Figure 2, the lower end. of the said screw 9 maybear directly against the top of the flesh ring 6 as is shown in Figure4t.

Having now particularly described my invention, I hereby declare thatwhat I claim as new and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a drum h aving provision for taneously tensioning the two heads,applicable to the tensioning hoop of the heads preventing the tensioningment beyond a desired limit.

2. In a drum having provision for taneously tensioning the two heads,applicable to the tensioning hoop of the heads preventing the tensioningment beyond a deslred limit, said simulmeans one of movesi1nulmeans oneof movemeans comprising an adjustable means secured to the cylinder ofthe drum adjacent one end preventing movement of the hoop at that endbeyond a desired limit.

3. In a drum having provision for simultaneously tensioning the twoheads, means applicable to the tensioning hoop of one of the headspreventing the tensioning movement beyond a desired limit, said meanscomprising a member secured to the cylinder of the drum adjacent thetensioning hoop of one end and intermediate the application of thetensioning means to that hoop, a screw threaded into said member thepoint of which screw bears against the flesh ring of the head it isdesired to relieve of further tension.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JAMES INNES.

